Is Luminae over-rated or under-rated?

[NutsAboutGolf]

13 minutes ago, HMR74 said:

I wonder how dinner will be in Luminae on Beyond or Ascent during a rough storm-when up front and on upper deck?

 

I imagine all exterior glass is already double (or triple) pane glass which helps with soundproofing and more importantly, prevents fogging compared to single-pane

[HMR74]

18 minutes ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

 

I imagine all exterior glass is already double (or triple) pane glass which helps with soundproofing and more importantly, prevents fogging compared to single-pane

That too but I was thinking about all the motion up front and high.

 

[LGW59]

11 minutes ago, HMR74 said:

That too but I was thinking about all the motion up front and high.

 

Love me a good rocking and rolling cruise, chasing that errant piece of filet across the table before it hits the floor, not to mention my glass of wine, and I always win on that, heck with the beef just don't mess with my always included beverage. 

[kwokpot]

1 hour ago, mac_tlc said:

nteresting. In what way? We liked the Edge/Apex better then Equinox, mostly because the space was designed from the beginning as Luminae and not cut out of the MDR. Never thought the Edge/Apex was any noisier then Equinox. 

The current team on the Reflection, from to front desk to servers and kitchen, worked together like a well oiled machine. That was not the case on the Apex in December. The Servers all were running around like a chicken with their heads cut off. There was no teams working in harmony, rather, they worked against each other. 

[kwokpot]

2 hours ago, terrydtx said:

The information and rumors from my TA, the Edge will go to Vancouver from Sydney after the April 5th cruise in two segments stopping in Hawaii. The rumors are the Edge will be doing Alaska cruises in Summer 2024. I hope they get released soon because they suites sell out fast on these cruises. The Eclipse is doing the itinerary in April 2023 and the only category still available are inside cabins.

Interesting. On Royal's Explorer of the Seas in Oct. 2018 we did Seattle to Sydney. 21 nights cruise, stopping in Hawaii, Fiji, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, Sydney. It was a great cruise!

[talljules1]

I think Luminae is neither under- nor over-rated. Simply well rated.  We've had great experiences and are looking forward to it at the end of April.  That said, we do always like to mix in some specialty dining because we love Murano (esp. the Dover Sole and the Chateaubriand) and Sushi on 5.

[RichYak]

20 minutes ago, kwokpot said:

The current team on the Reflection, from to front desk to servers and kitchen, worked together like a well oiled machine. That was not the case on the Apex in December. The Servers all were running around like a chicken with their heads cut off. There was no teams working in harmony, rather, they worked against each other. 

I felt the same on Edge in October. The frenetic E-class Luminae experience was nothing like the relaxing dining experience on M-class we had just prior to the shutdown.

[HMR74]

1 hour ago, LGW59 said:

Love me a good rocking and rolling cruise, chasing that errant piece of filet across the table before it hits the floor, not to mention my glass of wine, and I always win on that, heck with the beef just don't mess with my always included beverage. 

Is there  a 5 second rule in luminae. 

[DaKahuna]

6 minutes ago, HMR74 said:

Is there  a 5 second rule in luminae. 

Yes, but only a 3 second rule in the MDR and OVC. 

[cruise47]

1 hour ago, talljules1 said:

I think Luminae is neither under- nor over-rated. Simply well rated.  We've had great experiences and are looking forward to it at the end of April.  That said, we do always like to mix in some specialty dining because we love Murano (esp. the Dover Sole and the Chateaubriand) and Sushi on 5.

We love dining in the Murano on the Soltics Class Ships. My spouse loved the table side preparation of the Dover Sole and the Chateaubriand and I loved that Rack of Lamb. 

[LGW59]

28 minutes ago, HMR74 said:

Is there  a 5 second rule in luminae. 

Perhaps but my husband is a tad younger than me, so he is responsible for keeping his eyes on the food, his reflexes being what they are, I will always thus be responsible for protecting my beverages 

[mac_tlc]

2 hours ago, kwokpot said:

The current team on the Reflection, from to front desk to servers and kitchen, worked together like a well oiled machine. That was not the case on the Apex in December. The Servers all were running around like a chicken with their heads cut off. There was no teams working in harmony, rather, they worked against each other. 

I have to take note on Edge in two weeks. On both Edge cruises last Fall, we had the same server every night, Jose, who we also had on the Equinox in 2020. I never felt they were running in around. Same assistant waiter, Marco came over almost every night. I hope Jose is back on in a couple weeks.

 

On Apex in January we always had the same seat, same waiter, same assistant waiter.  
 

Interesting how experiences vary.

 

mac_tlc

Edited March 16, 2022 by mac_tlc

[kwokpot]

3 minutes ago, mac_tlc said:

I have to take note on Edge in two weeks. On both Edge cruises last Fall, we had the same server every night, Jose, who we also had on the Equinox in 2020. I never felt they were running in around. Same assistant waiter, Marco came over almost every night. 

 

On Apex in January we always had the same seat, same waiter, same assistant waiter.  
 

Interesting how experiences vary.

 

mac_tlc

I was on the Dec.11-20th sailing of the Apex. It's good that the subsequent sailings things smoothed out. On poached lobster night the service was so frantic another server actually came over to take our order. That was also the night I had asked for an altered starter consisting of an existing starter topped with some of the scallops from the entree section. Rather than honor my request they brought over both the starter and the full scallop entree together. It was too much food for a starter (I ordered the poached lobster for the entree course) and it cluttered up the table. Contrast that from two weeks ago on the Reflection where I literally ordered the same meal the same way. Being lobster night Luminae on the Reflection was also crowded and busy, but my customized starter was plated exactly as I asked, with the portion sized for a starter course. 

[Oville]

1 hour ago, cruise47 said:

We love dining in the Murano on the Soltics Class Ships. My spouse loved the table side preparation of the Dover Sole and the Chateaubriand and I loved that Rack of Lamb. 

What does this have to do with Luminae, the topic of this thread.

[Oville]

8 minutes ago, kwokpot said:

I was on the Dec.11-20th sailing of the Apex. It's good that the subsequent sailings things smoothed out. On poached lobster night the service was so frantic another server actually came over to take our order. That was also the night I had asked for an altered starter consisting of an existing starter topped with some of the scallops from the entree section. Rather than honor my request they brought over both the starter and the full scallop entree together. It was too much food for a starter (I ordered the poached lobster for the entree course) and it cluttered up the table. Contrast that from two weeks ago on the Reflection where I literally ordered the same meal the same way. Being lobster night Luminae on the Reflection was also crowded and busy, but my customized starter was plated exactly as I asked, with the portion sized for a starter course. 

Sorry, whatever.

[LGW59]

10 minutes ago, kwokpot said:

I was on the Dec.11-20th sailing of the Apex. It's good that the subsequent sailings things smoothed out. On poached lobster night the service was so frantic another server actually came over to take our order. That was also the night I had asked for an altered starter consisting of an existing starter topped with some of the scallops from the entree section. Rather than honor my request they brought over both the starter and the full scallop entree together. It was too much food for a starter (I ordered the poached lobster for the entree course) and it cluttered up the table. Contrast that from two weeks ago on the Reflection where I literally ordered the same meal the same way. Being lobster night Luminae on the Reflection was also crowded and busy, but my customized starter was plated exactly as I asked, with the portion sized for a starter course. 

You seem to be all over the map on your level of service on your recent cruises.  Not being told you can order from MDR in Luminae, yet never asking, then slamming the servers.  Once you see someone else’s experience you go on a rant because yours was not identical.  Plated this, plated that, takes up to much room on the table.  I was a server many many years ago, many, but some things never change.  If I were your server, well I won’t go there.  

[NutsAboutGolf]

All the dish offerings are made in batches and usually the meats/seafood are put on plates that already have all other items on them.  Odds are, when you ask for something custom, they'll pick off what they want from a regular plate since its already cooked and dumping out the unpicked items.

 

[kwokpot]

31 minutes ago, LGW59 said:

You seem to be all over the map on your level of service on your recent cruises.  Not being told you can order from MDR in Luminae, yet never asking, then slamming the servers.  Once you see someone else’s experience you go on a rant because yours was not identical.  Plated this, plated that, takes up to much room on the table.  I was a server many many years ago, many, but some things never change.  If I were your server, well I won’t go there.  

I'm not understanding your hostility to my postings. I'm new to sailing in Celebrity suites and just relaying my experiences, good and bad, in relevant threads here on Cruise Critic. Our Reflection cruise we had an amazing experience in Luminae and the previous experience on the Apex wasn't as smooth. Doesn't mean we didn't have a great time on both cruises. 

 

 

[terrydtx]

18 minutes ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

All the dish offerings are made in batches and usually the meats/seafood are put on plates that already have all other items on them.  Odds are, when you ask for something custom, they'll pick off what they want from a regular plate since its already cooked and dumping out the unpicked items.

 

Is that the MDR kitchen? Seems like too many plates to be the Luminae. They look like deserts.

[mac_tlc]

10 hours ago, kwokpot said:

I was on the Dec.11-20th sailing of the Apex. It's good that the subsequent sailings things smoothed out. On poached lobster night the service was so frantic another server actually came over to take our order. That was also the night I had asked for an altered starter consisting of an existing starter topped with some of the scallops from the entree section. Rather than honor my request they brought over both the starter and the full scallop entree together. It was too much food for a starter (I ordered the poached lobster for the entree course) and it cluttered up the table. Contrast that from two weeks ago on the Reflection where I literally ordered the same meal the same way. Being lobster night Luminae on the Reflection was also crowded and busy, but my customized starter was plated exactly as I asked, with the portion sized for a starter course. 

Thank you relaying your experience. Not sure where the hostility is coming from either.  This is called cruise “critic” after all. 
 

The only time I can remember a similar experience was in Coastal Kitchen on the Oasis last September. We must have three bread servers, a couple of drink order takers. This was only a few weeks into the startup so I am sure there were some restart issues. I guess we all are so used to spectacular service that any small hiccup is noticed. Maybe that’s a good thing! 
 

As you said, still had a wonderful time.

 

 

mac_tlc

[chemmo]

11 hours ago, mac_tlc said:

I have to take note on Edge in two weeks. On both Edge cruises last Fall, we had the same server every night, Jose, who we also had on the Equinox in 2020. I never felt they were running in around. Same assistant waiter, Marco came over almost every night. I hope Jose is back on in a couple weeks.

 

On Apex in January we always had the same seat, same waiter, same assistant waiter.  
 

Interesting how experiences vary.

 

mac_tlc

Service makes such a difference on one’s view of a dining venue, especially waiters…

 

Poor waiters (of the headless chicken variety) are slow to act, quick to make mistakes.

Good waiters are prompt and deliver what is ordered.

Excellent waiters communicate with you, offer suggestions, anticipate possible requests and are always willing to ‘go that extra mile’ to ensure your dining experience is pleasurable.

 

Much as we are not great fans of the Luminae menus we have always found service constantly good and sometimes excellent.

[Cookie002]

I just watched on ticktok a little video from Captain Kate, where she compares the retreat on the beyond compared to the other ships in this class. She says Lumina is 55% bigger than on the other ships, so perhaps that addresses the crowded issue? Food and service only time will tell I guess.

 

I have never sailed celebrity before, but will be on the Beyond at the end of May, doing a sky suite. I am really looking forward to the experience.

[terrydtx]

29 minutes ago, Cookie002 said:

I just watched on ticktok a little video from Captain Kate, where she compares the retreat on the beyond compared to the other ships in this class. She says Lumina is 55% bigger than on the other ships, so perhaps that addresses the crowded issue? Food and service only time will tell I guess.

 

I have never sailed celebrity before, but will be on the Beyond at the end of May, doing a sky suite. I am really looking forward to the experience.

You will love the Retreat and Celebrity.

[TeeRick]

13 hours ago, RichYak said:

I felt the same on Edge in October. The frenetic E-class Luminae experience was nothing like the relaxing dining experience on M-class we had just prior to the shutdown.

My Luminae experience on EDGE was similar.  It was my least favorite Luminae due to the open design and noise.  It needed some partitions to keep the noise down.  Not sure if that has happened on APEX and BEYOND. Not the relaxing refined experience that I was used to- but still overall very good.  My favorite Luminae experience was on Reflection.

[helen haywood]

On 3/4/2022 at 6:54 PM, KKB said:

Yes--there is Greek, French, Italian & "Cosmopolitan"--they each carry the daily "MDR" menu (changes daily like typical MDR), the "always available" menu (chicken, sirloin, etc) AND each of those has their own themed specialty menu that does not change but is available only at that restaurant.

It is not true that Edge’s 4 MDR’s themed specialty menus are only available at that particular restaurant.  You can be at Cosmopolitan and have an appetizer from Tuscan, an entree from Cyprus and a dessert from Normandie.

 

Also, the Children’s Menu referenced is not a Luminae only menu.  Anyone, not just suite guests, in any cabin category, on any class ship can order off it.